6 Wonderful Places To See In Pisa

Just an hour and a half by car (maybe a little less) from Florence, is Pisa. It is famous for its leaning tower, but there is much more to see in Pisa, a city steeped in history and iconic buildings. Its streets, bridges and squares are very worthwhile. Let’s go?

1. The Piazza dei Miracoli

It is the site where the famous tower is located, but inside there are other places of interest to see. It is a grandiose walled area that contains some of the best examples of Italian Romanesque architecture: the Duomo, the tower and the Baptistery. You will also see the Cemetery in it.

We will talk about each of those buildings and visit them. But first, nothing like walking quietly through the square and letting yourself be carried away by its grandeur.

2. Cathedral and Baptistery

The Cathedral of Santa María Asunta is built in marble and dates from the 11th century. Its bronze portal stands out imposingly on the color of the stone. It is a magnificent church with five naves crowned by a beautiful dome. Furthermore, its façade and ornamentation are simply spectacular.

Inside the temple, the octagonal pulpit by Giovanni Pisano stands out, a work of art that does not go unnoticed. You also have to admire its golden roof and the wonderful mosaic that adorns the apse.

As for the Baptistery, it is the largest in Itiala, with more than 107 meters in circumference. A fabulous building dedicated to Saint John the Baptist that began to be built in the mid-12th century. Romanesque in style, its exterior is spectacular, while its interior has impressive acoustics.

3. The tower, the great attraction to see in Pisa

This is the main attraction of the city, the must see in Pisa. It dates from the 12th century and measures 55.7 meters. Its inclination reaches 4 degrees, a problem that began to manifest itself just after it was built in the 12th century.

For fear that the incline would continue and that one day the bell tower would fall, a few years ago  some works were carried out in which some 70 tons of earth were removed, which allowed it to stabilize and remain that way for at least 200 years.

The tower has a cylindrical structure with blind arches and almost 300 steps to reach its highest part. First because of its precarious stability and then because of the works, it was closed for years. Today you can go up and enjoy spectacular views of the city.

4. The Monumental Cemetery

It is a walled cemetery and arranged around a Gothic-style cloister that began to be built in the 13th century. Apparently, the construction of the cemetery has its origin in a shipment of earth brought during the crusades from the Holy Land.

The Cemetery has three chapels and 600 tombstones, mostly Greco-Roman. Its walls were covered with frescoes, but the bombings of World War II caused a fire that destroyed most of them. The restoration works carried out since then are gradually returning it to its former splendor.

5. Church of Santa María della Spina

This small but beautiful Gothic church will blow your mind.  Another of the places to see in Pisa, it is decorated with needles, tablets, pinnacles, rosettes and niches. It was built in order to care for and preserve a thorn in the crown of Christ.

As a curiosity, you should know that its original enclave was at river level.  However, the subsidence of the land led to the decision to dismantle it and raise it again in the location where we can see it today and where it has been since 1875.

6. Museo delle Sinopie

Until 1969 it was a hospital, but in that year it was restructured to be a museum. In it you can see incredible sinopias, which are the drawings that are marked on the walls as sketches before painting the frescoes.

Interestingly, these sinopia were found in the Cemetery after grenades set it on fire and damaged its frescoes. They thought then that it was best to remove them from the wall, and under them these incredible drawings appeared.

This has been our tour of this beautiful city in Tuscany. And you have already seen that there is much to see in Pisa, beyond its leaning tower. List it as your next vacation destination!